From Relief To Recovery

Three weeks ago, catastrophic floods tore through Nepal's Bhotekoshi corridor. Within hours, entire villages were swept away. Thousands of people were swept away, and many have still not been found. Families were left without shelter, clean water, or power. Many lost everything they owned.

On the ground, the fear is still palpable. Loud noises now send people running to higher ground, fearing another flood. It is hard to overstate how much these victims have lost. 

But the affected communities have not had to face the aftermath alone. Thanks to our donors' generous support, the One Heart Worldwide team has been providing on-the-ground support in Nuwakot, Rasuwa, and Dhading districts. 

Getting to the affected areas has not been easy. The rains have not stopped yet. Our team has traveled through roads turned to muddy quagmires, navigated landslides, and faced the ongoing dangers that follow a flood of this magnitude, all to reach families in need. Their dedication and courage have made this response possible. We are humbled by their commitment and deeply proud to work beside them. 

Reaching families across three districts

Our team has already reached more than 520 families and individuals with emergency support. For families who lost everything, this meant the essentials of getting through each day, including day-to-day support such as food, blankets, baby items, and power backups, as well as trauma support for those working through their fear and grief. 

Keeping care within reach

One Heart Worldwide makes pregnancy and childbirth safer by strengthening the health system that families depend on. This is also where we focus our efforts during emergency responses. 

We delivered essential medicines to district health offices and hospitals in Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts, reaching 64 primary health facilities through district medicine supply chains. Five major hospitals received our support to keep their full range of services running through the crisis. 

Our response has also extended to the national level. We provided medical supplies to the Logistics Management Division, which coordinates relief across the country, and to the Nepal Army’s rescue operations. Additionally, we supported the Nepal Police Forensic Laboratory in establishing a system to identify those lost to the floods, so that families can bring their loved ones home and lay them to rest with dignity. 

Looking toward recovery

As the immediate crisis eases, the response is entering a new phase, and the focus now is on the long task of recovery. 

The most crucial step is already underway. At the request of the Ministry of Health and Food Safety and in partnership with the Association of International NGOs in Nepal, One Heart Worldwide is helping to lead the health-sector assessment that will guide the next steps. Across the affected districts, teams are assessing damage to health facilities and disruptions to essential services, from maternal and newborn care to routine treatment, and identifying where communities still face the greatest unmet needs. The findings will shape a coordinated recovery plan so that the health system is not simply repaired but rebuilt to be stronger and better prepared for the future. 

We are also preparing the next round of support for families themselves. As the Government of Nepal covers the cost of housing for families returning home, we plan to provide each family with kitchen supplies and a set of bedding so they can begin to rebuild their daily lives. Our counselors will also continue providing trauma support to survivors in the months ahead. 

We are not going anywhere

There is still so much to do. But we were part of these communities long before the floods, and we will be long after recovery is complete.

Thank you for standing with the families of Nepal. 

About One Heart Worldwide

One Heart Worldwide aims to make pregnancy and childbirth safer for all. With 16 years of experience in Nepal, we work side by side with the Government of Nepal, at the local, provincial, and federal levels, to strengthen the country's maternal and newborn health system and reach every mother and newborn, no matter where they live.

That deep, local partnership is also what allows us to respond when disaster strikes. Because we are already embedded in these communities, our team can act quickly to protect mothers, newborns, and families in an emergency and stay for the long recovery that follows. Learn more about our work at oneheartworldwide.org.